What Is A DNS A Record? Definition, Purpose, And Examples

Key Takeaways

An A record connects a domain name to its corresponding IP address, facilitating access to websites.
Multiple A records can be created for a single domain to provide redundancy and ensure availability.
The structure of an A record is straightforward, mapping hostnames to IPv4 addresses in a one-to-one relationship.
A records differ from CNAME records, which create aliases for domain names rather than linking directly to IP addresses.
Properly configuring your A record is essential to ensure that your website is accessible to users globally.

In the Domain Name System, an A record is one of the most important records that make up your domain name. A DNS A record contains the IP address of the host computer (or hostname) that you want to be associated with your domain name. If you have a website hosted on a server somewhere off-site from where your domain name is registered, then this is probably where the A record will be pointing towards.

Let’s dive into the details and see what is a DNS A record, why you need it, and how you manage a DNS A record.

What Is a DNS A Record?

Your hostname is connected to an IP address by the A Record. A record’s initials stand for address or A. One of the most often used records in the DNS Zones, this one is crucial to the setup of your DNS. The IP address (IPv4) for the provided host is specified in record A.

In other words, it uses the IP address to resolve (or refer) a domain name to the appropriate place. You can accomplish a lot with A records, including employing numerous A records for the same domain as fallbacks and redundancies. Each name would have its own A record pointing to the same IP address if multiple names were pointed to the same address.

If you need help understanding how DNS servers work you can always ask for computer science assignment help and discover more about the Domain Name System.

A Records are the most basic DNS records and are frequently used in DNS servers. A records can be used for various purposes, including creating numerous A records for the same domain to offer redundancy and fallbacks. The same IP address may also be referenced by numerous names, in which case each would have its own A record referring to the same IP address.

How a DNS A Record Works

Your browser requires a DNS lookup to obtain the website’s IP address after you enter the website address because it needs this information to establish a connection with the web server.

Your computer asks a DNS resolver to locate the IP address for the domain name you entered. If that resolver has recently looked up this domain, it possibly keeps the response in its cache and can send it instantly without the requirement to ask any other server. If the resolver does not have this record in its cache, it initiates the resolution process by asking other servers.

First, it consults the root DNS servers. They direct the resolver to the appropriate top-level domain servers, like .com or .org. From there, it is steered to the authoritative server for the domain, a special type of machine that stores the DNS records that decide how the domain is resolved.

Among these records, the A record (or Address record) is a vital component among all DNS records. The Address record functions as a domain name to IPv4 address mapping tool. The authoritative name server provides the IP address to the resolver, which then sends this address back to your computer. Your system can then use this IP address to connect regularly to the website’s server, and it can be loaded on your browser.

This entire process can be sped up with caching which temporarily stores DNS responses on your local device, your internet service provider, and even your browser. In this case, if you subsequently visit the same website, your computer can skip most of the work it did during the lookup stage and access the site much faster.

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Why Do You Need an A Record?

The A record is the most basic type of DNS record, and it’s used to point your domain name to a specific IP address. An A record sets up your website’s home base so that when users type in your domain name, they are sent directly to your website.

An A record is a one-to-one mapping between a hostname and an IP address. For example, if you have a website hosted on www.example.com, you could create an A record with the hostname set to www and the IP address assigned to 1.2.3.4 (where 1.2.3.4 is your web server’s public IP address).

When someone visits www.example.com in their browser, their computer will query your DNS server for that hostname using UDP port 53 (DNS) and receive an answer containing the IP address of 1.2.3.4. The browser connects directly to 1.2.3.4 on TCP port 80 (HTTP) or 443 (HTTPS) to request your site content.

You can have multiple A records for a single domain name. For example, if you wanted to set up multiple web servers on different IP addresses (to add redundancy), you could create an A record for each server’s IP address. You could also set up multiple mail servers with multiple A records.

How to Create a DNS A Record

A records are typically managed through the platform where your domain’s DNS settings are controlled. This could be your domain registrar, your web hosting provider, or a dedicated DNS management service like ClouDNS. The DNS zone for your domain becomes accessible through these platforms, which enable you to view and modify the records that determine domain service connections.

You can access your DNS zone through ClouDNS to create an A record by following these steps: access your ClouDNS account to reach the DNS zone management interface and select the option to add new records from this interface. The record setup requires you to select A as the Type followed by entering three pieces of information:

Type: A

TTL: 1 Hour

Points to: IP.of.your.website

DNS A Record Format

An A record’s structure adheres to the normative top-level format definition in RFC 1035. There is only one component in the RDATA section:

Element Description

Address A 32-bit Internet address representing an IPv4 address.

Numerous A records are present on hosts with multiple Internet addresses. The official illustration is

A <address>

How To Query A Record in DNS?

DNS lookup is the process of getting the IP address of a domain name by querying the DNS server.

Named-based resolution is one of the methods for performing DNS lookups. It involves using the domain name instead of an IP address in a query.

A typical query consists of two parts:

The hostname, or FQDN (fully qualified domain name), is used to identify a specific resource. A hostname can be either an official Internet name or an alias that points to a particular device on your network.
The query type determines how much information you want to be returned in response to your query. This can include:

An A record (address record) returns the IP address associated with a given hostname; if no A record is available, it will return an NXDOMAIN error.

How to Check or Lookup a DNS A Record

You can check or look up a DNS A record using several methods. Many people use command-line tools like nslookup or dig, while others prefer online DNS checkers that provide the same information through a web interface.
If you’re using a command line, type:

nslookup example.com — This shows the IP address associated with the domain name.
dig example.com A — This provides detailed information about the A record, including the response time and the authoritative name server.

The results usually display the domain name, the record type (A), the Time To Live (TTL), and the IP address it points to. The IP address listed is where your domain currently resolves, which helps confirm that your DNS configuration is correct.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

The majority of DNS A record problems stem from simple issues that experts can solve through straightforward diagnosis and resolution methods.

Incorrect IP address mapping – If your domain points to the wrong IP address, your website might not load properly. Double-check the IP address in your A record and ensure it matches the IP address assigned by your hosting provider.

DNS propagation delays – When you update an A record, it can take time for the change to spread across all DNS servers worldwide. This process, called propagation, usually takes a few hours but can last up to 48 hours. During this period, some users may see the old version of your website.

Caching problems – Browsers, devices, and ISPs often store cached DNS results. If you’ve updated your record but still see the old IP, clear your browser cache or flush your local DNS cache.

Verifying DNS updates – You can confirm your updates using tools like dnschecker.org or by running a dig command to see the latest record. Make sure the displayed IP matches the one you configured.

DNS A Record vs. Other DNS Record Types

The A record exists as part of multiple DNS record types, which perform distinct functions.

A Record: It uses A records to establish connections between domain names and their corresponding IPv4 addresses.
AAAA Record: It functions identically to an A record, but it connects domain names to IPv6 addresses.
CNAME Record: It enables domain name redirection to alternative domains, which find common use for subdomain management.
MX Record: It guides email messages toward your designated mail servers.
TXT Record: It functions as a storage area for text information, which includes SPF and DKIM verification and security applications.

The A record functions as the primary DNS record for web traffic direction, but other records handle email delivery and domain verification tasks.

Conclusion

So now you might have a deep knowledge of a DNS A record. To summarize, an A record is what maps a domain name (www.example.com) to an IP address. And when a domain does not have an A record, the domain name will not work and cannot be used to access any other website or server.

To ensure that your website works correctly across the entire internet, you want to make sure that you are using an A Record. This will ensure that the URL of your site is pointing to the IP address that you want it to point to and not some other server somewhere on the internet.

If you’re managing DNS and want to strengthen your domain’s security, PowerDMARC offers tools that go beyond basic DNS management. It protects your brand and email delivery through its DMARC enforcement and domain authentication features.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I delete my DNS A record?

The deletion of your A record will prevent your domain from finding its IP address, which results in website downtime until you restore or replace the record.

Can a domain have multiple A records?

Yes. A domain can have multiple A records pointing to different IP addresses. This setup is often used for load balancing or redundancy, distributing traffic across multiple servers.

How long does it take for a DNS A record change to propagate?

The time required for DNS changes to spread across the entire world network spans from several minutes to 48 hours. The exact time depends on your TTL settings and how frequently different DNS servers refresh their cached data.

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Ahona Rudra

Domain & Email Security Expert at PowerDMARC

Ahona is the Marketing Manager at PowerDMARC, with 5+ years of experience in writing about cybersecurity topics, specializing in domain and email security. Ahona holds a post-graduation degree in Journalism and Communications, solidifying her career in the security sector since 2019.

What Is a DNS A Record? Definition, Purpose, and Examples